1996 Australian Touring Car season


The 1996 Australian Touring Car season was the 37th year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship and the fore-runner of the present day Bathurst 1000, the Armstrong 500.
of Craig Lowndes
Two major touring car categories raced in Australia during 1996, Group 3A Touring Cars and Super Touring. Between them there were 26 touring car race meetings held during 1996; a ten-round series for Group 3A Touring Cars, the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship ; an eight-round series for Super Touring, the 1996 Australian Super Touring Championship ; a two event series in New Zealand, support programme events at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix and 1996 Bartercard Indycar Australia and two stand alone long distance races, nicknamed 'enduros'.

Results and Standings

Race Calendar

The 1996 Australian touring car season consisted of 26 events.
DateSeriesCircuitCity / StateWinnerTeamCarReport
27 JanATCC Round 1Eastern Creek RacewaySydney, New South WalesCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
4 FebATCC Round 2Sandown International RacewayMelbourne, VictoriaCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
25 FebATCC Round 3Mount Panorama CircuitBathurst, New South WalesJohn BoweDick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon
9–10 MarSuper Touring Car RaceAlbert Park street circuitMelbourne, VictoriaGeoff BrabhamPaul Morris MotorsportBMW 318i
9–10 MarTAC Touring CarsAlbert Park street circuitMelbourne, VictoriaPeter BrockHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
17 MarATCC Round 4Symmons Plains RacewayLaunceston, TasmaniaCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
30–31 MarSuper Touring CarsSurfers Paradise street circuitSurfers Paradise, QueenslandGreg MurphyBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
30–31 MarEA Sports Touring CarsSurfers Paradise street circuitSurfers Paradise, QueenslandJohn BoweDick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon
14 AprATCC Round 5Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island, VictoriaLarry PerkinsPerkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore
28 AprATCC Round 6Calder Park RacewayMelbourne, VictoriaRussell IngallPerkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore
5 MayATCC Round 7Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, QueenslandCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
19 MayASTC Round 1Amaroo ParkSydney, New South WalesBrad JonesBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
26 MayATCC Round 8Barbagallo RacewayPerth, Western AustraliaCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
2 JunATCC Round 9Mallala Motor Sport ParkAdelaide, South AustraliaCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
17 JunATCC Round 10Oran Park RacewaySydney, New South WalesPeter BrockHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
23 JunASTC Round 2Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, QueenslandPaul MorrisPaul Morris MotorsportBMW 318i
14 JulASTC Round 3Amaroo ParkSydney, New South WalesBrad JonesBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
11 AugASTC Round 4Mallala Motor Sport ParkAdelaide, South AustraliaGreg MurphyBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
25 AugASTC Round 5Winton Motor RacewayBenalla, VictoriaPaul MorrisPaul Morris MotorsportBMW 318i
8 SepTickford 500Sandown International RacewayMelbourne, VictoriaCraig Lowndes
Greg Murphy		Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodorereport
22 SepASTC Round 6Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island, VictoriaGreg MurphyBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
5–6 OctSuper TouringMount Panorama CircuitBathurst, New South WalesJim RichardsVolvo Dealer RacingVolvo 850
5–6 OctAMP Bathurst 1000Mount Panorama CircuitBathurst, New South WalesCraig Lowndes
Greg Murphy		Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodorereport
27 OctASTC Round 7Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, QueenslandPaul MorrisPaul Morris MotorsportBMW 318i
9 NovASTC Round 8Oran Park RacewaySydney, New South WalesBrad JonesBrad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro
17 NovPukekohe Mobil SprintsPukekohe Park RacewayPukekohe, New ZealandGreg MurphyHolden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore
24 NovWellington Mobil SprintsWellington street circuitWellington, New ZealandJohn BoweDick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon

Australian Touring Car Championship

Formula 1 Super Touring support race

This meeting was a support event of the 1996 Australian Grand Prix.
DriverNo.TeamCarRace 1Race 2
Geoff Brabham83BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 320i11
Paul Morris1BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 320i22
Jim Richards77Ross Palmer MotorsportFord Mondeo53
Brad Jones3Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro44
Greg Murphy4Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro35
Peter Brock05Volvo Cars AustraliaVolvo 85066
Steven Richards34Garry Rogers MotorsportAlfa Romeo 15587
Mark Adderton96Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi1698
Paul Nelson15Bob Holden MotorsBMW M3DNF9
Justin Mathews16Bob Holden MotorsBMW 318i1110
Cameron McLean12Greenfield Mowers RacingBMW 318iDNF11
Peter Hills88Knight RacingFord Sierra1312
John Mann31Craig LawlessPeugeot 405 Mi161413
Geoff Full95Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi167DNF
Bob Holden13Bob Holden MotorsBMW M312DNF
Les May20Les May RacingBMW M310DNF

TAC Touring Cars

This meeting was a support event of the 1996 Australian Grand Prix.
DriverNo.TeamCarRace 1Race 2
Peter Brock05Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore21
John Bowe1Dick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon32
Glenn Seton30Glenn Seton RacingFord EF Falcon13
Russell Ingall8Perkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore74
Mark Skaife2Gibson MotorsportHolden VR CommodoreDNF5
Steven Richards32Garry Rogers MotorsportHolden VR Commodore136
Wayne Gardner4Wayne Gardner RacingHolden VR CommodoreDNF7
Steve Ellery52Steven Ellery RacingFord EF Falcon118
Neil Crompton7Wayne Gardner RacingHolden VR CommodoreDNF9
Dick Johnson17Dick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon1910
Tony Longhurst25Longhurst RacingFord EF Falcon1011
Terry Finnigan27Holden VP Commodore2212
Alan Jones301Alan Jones RacingFord EF Falcon513
John Faulkner46John Faulkner RacingHolden VR Commodore814
David Parsons55David ParsonsHolden VR Commodore1615
Mark Poole38James Rosenberg RacingHolden VR Commodore2416
Trevor Ashby3Lansvale Racing TeamHolden VP CommodoreDNF17
Chris Smerdon39Challenge MotorsportHolden VR Commodore2318
Peter McLeod50Holden VR Commodore2519
Malcolm Stenniken14Holden VR Commodore2120
Bob Jones43Bob Jones RacingHolden VP Commodore2021
John Trimbole47Daily Planet RacingFord EB Falcon1822
Larry Perkins11Perkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore623
Craig Lowndes15Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore4DNF
Paul Romano201Alan Jones RacingFord EF Falcon15DNF
Max Dumesny75John Sidney RacingFord EF Falcon12DNF
Mark Larkham10Larkham Motor SportFord EF Falcon14DNF
Peter Doulman29M3 MotorsportHolden VP Commodore9DNF
Wayne Russell62Holden VP CommodoreDNFDNF
Kevin Heffernan74PACE RacingHolden VP Commodore17DNF

Champ Car Super Touring support race

This meeting was a support event of the 1996 Bartercard Indycar Australia.
DriverNo.TeamCarRace 1Race 2
Greg Murphy4Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro21
Jim Richards77Ross Palmer MotorsportFord Mondeo52
Charlie O'Brien10BMW InternationalBMW 318i13
Peter Brock05Volvo Cars AustraliaVolvo 85044
Cameron McLean12Greenfield Mowers RacingBMW 318i5
Kevin Schwantz97Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi1636
Geoff Full95Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi1677
Stephen Voight18BMW M38
Justin Mathews16Bob Holden MotorsBMW 318i99
Paul Pickett58Triple P RacingHyundai Lantra10
Miles Pope36BMW InternationalBMW 318i11
Kurt Kratzmann33Ford Sierra12
Bob Holden13Bob Holden MotorsBMW M313
Paul Nelson15Bob Holden MotorsBMW M314
Steven Richards34Garry Rogers MotorsportAlfa Romeo 155815
Geoff Brabham83BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 318iDNFDNF
Paul Morris1BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 318i6DNF
Brad Jones3Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 QuattroDNFDNS

EA Sports Touring Cars

This meeting was a support event of the 1996 Bartercard Indycar Australia.
DriverNo.TeamCarRace 1Race 2
John Bowe1Dick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon11
Peter Brock05Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore22
Russell Ingall8Perkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore83
Alan Jones301Alan Jones RacingFord EF Falcon44
Dick Johnson17Dick Johnson RacingFord EF Falcon35
Mark Skaife2Gibson MotorsportHolden VR Commodore96
Larry Perkins11Perkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore57
Glenn Seton30Glenn Seton RacingFord EF Falcon78
Tony Longhurst25Longhurst RacingFord EF Falcon109
John Faulkner46John Faulkner RacingHolden VR Commodore1310
Steve Ellery52Steven Ellery RacingFord EF Falcon1411
Brad Jones4Wayne Gardner RacingHolden VR Commodore1212
Mark Poole38James Rosenberg RacingHolden VR Commodore1813
Mal Rose44Mal Rose RacingHolden VR Commodore2014
Terry Finnigan27Holden VP Commodore1515
Neil Crompton7Wayne Gardner RacingHolden VR CommodoreDNF16
Paul Romano201Alan Jones RacingFord EF FalconDNS17
Max Dumesny75John Sidney RacingFord EF Falcon1618
Steve Reed3Lansvale Racing TeamHolden VP CommodoreDNF19
Kevin Waldock28Playscape RacingFord EF Falcon2120
Steven Richards32Garry Rogers MotorsportHolden VR Commodore1121
Wayne Russell62Holden VP Commodore2222
Kevin Heffernan74PACE RacingHolden VP CommodoreDNF23
Mark Larkham10Larkham Motor SportFord EF Falcon17DNF
Chris Smerdon39Challenge MotorsportHolden VR Commodore19DNF
Craig Lowndes15Holden Racing TeamHolden VR Commodore6DNF

Australian Super Touring Championship

Tickford 500

Bathurst 1000 Super Touring support race

This meeting was a support event of the 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000.
DriverNo.TeamCarRace 1Race 2Race 3
Jim Richards05Volvo Cars AustraliaVolvo 850221
Brad Jones3Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro392
Paul Morris1BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 318i4DNS3
Craig Baird10BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 318i114
Geoff Brabham83BMW Motorsport AustraliaBMW 318i735
Tamara Vidali4Brad Jones RacingAudi A4 Quattro546
Geoff Full95Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi16DNFDNF7
Justin Mathews16Bob Holden MotorsBMW 318i10DNS8
Bob Tweedie36BMW InternationalBMW 318i969
Kurt Kratzmann33Ford Sierra11810
Bob Holden13Bob Holden MotorsBMW M3DNSDNS11
Stephen Voight28BMW M38512
Paul Nelson16Bob Holden MotorsBMW 318iDNS7DNS
Mark Adderton96Phoenix MotorsportPeugeot 405 Mi16610DNS
Dennis Rogers13Bob Holden MotorsBMW M312DNSDNS
Ross Jones58Triple P RacingBMW 318iSDNSDNSDNS

AMP Bathurst 1000

Mobil New Zealand Sprints

This was a two event invitational series held in New Zealand late in 1996. Seven teams were freighted to New Zealand and held three races at each of two events held at Pukekohe Park Raceway and a Wellington street circuit. Points were allocated 20–16–14–12–10–8–6–4–2–1 for each of the six races.